RSVP/SBM based up-stream session setup, modification, and teardown for QoS-driven wireless LANs

• US 8,503,414 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2009
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ho, Jin-Meng, Lin, Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEW, KEVIN D
• Application Number:
  US12/631,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20100080196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 370235-236, 370328-329, 370/338, 370/346, 370/389, 370/395.21, 370/395.3, 370/412, 370443-445, 370/449, 370/468, 709/219, 709227-228, 709/230
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

A method and system is disclosed for setting up, modifying and tearing down an up-stream communication session in a basic service set (BSS) in a wireless local area network (WLAN), so that the communication session has a defined Quality of Service (QoS). Regarding setting up an up-stream communication session, a first Path message and a first Resv message (Path/Resv message) of a RSVP protocol are detected at a designated subnet bandwidth manager (DSBM) in a station having a point coordinator (PC). The first Resv message originates from a RSVP agent of a host outside the BSS, and is a request for setting up an up-stream session between a source non-PC station in the BSS and the PC station. A QoS parameter set and a classifier from the first Path/Resv message for the session are extracted at the DSBM. The DSBM determines whether to admit the up-stream session to the network based on the QoS parameter set defining the session and a channel status report on a medium access control (MAC) sublayer of the BSS. When the up-stream session is admitted, a QoS management entity (QME) of the PC station sets up a virtual up-stream (VUS) between the source non-PC station and the PC station for transporting the up-stream session traffic. The DSBM is part of the QME in the PC station.

Claims

1. A method for setting up an up-stream communication session in a basic service set in a wireless network, the up-stream communication session having a defined quality of service, the method comprising:

detecting a first message of a protocol at a designated subnet bandwidth manager in a station having a point coordinator, the first message originating from an agent of a host outside the basic service set, the first message requesting to set up the up-stream communication session between a source non-point coordinator station in the basic service set and the station having the point coordinator;

extracting at the designated subnet bandwidth manager a quality of service parameter set and a classifier from the first message;

determining at the designated subnet bandwidth manager whether to admit the up-stream communication session to the wireless network based on the quality of service parameter set defining the up-stream communication session and a channel status report on a medium access control sublayer of the basic service set; and

when the up-stream communication session is admitted, setting up by a quality of service management entity of the station having the point coordinator, a virtual up-stream between the source non-point coordinator station and the station having the point coordinator for transporting up-stream session traffic.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning by the quality of service management entity a virtual stream identifier to the virtual up-stream; and

instructing by the quality of service management entity a frame scheduling entity to create an entry corresponding to the virtual up-stream in a frame scheduling table of the frame scheduling entity, the frame scheduling entity being logically located in a media access control sublayer of the station having the point coordinator, the entry in the frame scheduling table including the virtual stream identifier and the quality of service parameter set associated with the up-stream communication session.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sending a management frame from the station having the point coordinator to the source non-point coordinator station, the management frame including information relating to a setup of the virtual up-stream defined by the virtual stream identifier, the classifier, and the quality of service parameter set.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving the management frame by the source non-point coordinator station;

passing the information contained in the management frame to a quality of service management entity of the non-point coordinator station;

instructing by the quality of service management entity of the non-point coordinator station a frame classification entity to create an entry corresponding to the virtual up-stream in a frame classification table of the frame classification entity, the frame classification entity being logically located in a logical link control sublayer of the non-point coordinator station, the entry in the frame classification table including the virtual stream identifier and the classifier; and

instructing by the quality of service management entity of the non-point coordinator station a frame scheduling entity of the non-point coordinator station to create an entry corresponding to the virtual up-stream in a frame scheduling table of the frame scheduling entity of the non-point coordinator station, the frame scheduling entity of the non-point coordinator station being logically located in a media access control sublayer of the non-point coordinator station, the entry in the frame scheduling table of the frame scheduling entity of the non-point coordinator station including the virtual stream identifier and the quality of service parameter set.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting a second message at the designated subnet bandwidth manager, the second message originating outside the designated subnet bandwidth manager and requesting that the up-stream communication session be terminated;

extracting at the designated subnet bandwidth manager the classifier from the second message for the up-stream communication session;

finding at the quality of service management entity of the station having the point coordinator the virtual stream identifier that is associated with the classifier that is extracted;

instructing by the quality of service management entity of the station having the point coordinator the frame scheduling entity of the station having the point coordinator to delete the entry corresponding to the virtual up-stream in the frame scheduling table; and

sending a management frame from the station having the point coordinator to the non-point coordinator station sourcing the virtual up-stream defined by the virtual stream identifier, the management frame including information relating to a teardown of the virtual up-stream.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving the management frame by the addressed non-point coordinator station sourcing the virtual up-stream defined by the virtual stream identifier;

passing the information contained in the management frame to a quality of service management entity of the non-point coordinator station;

instructing by the quality of service management entity of the non-point coordinator station a frame classification entity of the non-point coordinator station to delete an entry corresponding to the virtual up-stream in the frame classification table; and

instructing by the quality of service management entity of the non-point coordinator station a frame scheduling entity of the non-point coordinator station to delete an entry corresponding to the virtual up-stream in the frame scheduling table of the frame scheduling entity of the non-point coordinator station.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

detecting a timeout event at the designated subnet bandwidth manager, the timeout event being triggered by a predetermined length for not receiving one of the first message and the second message for the up-stream communication session;

extracting at the designated subnet bandwidth manager the classifier from one of the first message and the second message previously received for the up-stream communication session;

finding at the quality of service management entity of the station having the point coordinator the virtual stream identifier that is associated with the classifier that is extracted;

instructing by the quality of service management entity of the station having the point coordinator the frame scheduling entity of the point coordinator to delete the entry corresponding to the virtual up-stream in the frame scheduling table; and

sending a management frame from the station having the point coordinator to the non-point coordinator station sourcing the virtual up-stream defined by the virtual stream identifier, the management frame including information relating to a teardown of the virtual up-stream.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving the management frame by the addressed non-point coordinator station sourcing the virtual up-stream that is defined by the virtual stream identifier;

passing the information contained in the management frame to a quality of service management entity of the non-point coordinator station;

instructing by the quality of service management entity of the non-point coordinator station a frame classification entity of the non-point coordinator station to delete an entry corresponding to the virtual up-stream in a frame classification table; and

instructing by the quality of service management entity of the non-point coordinator station the frame scheduling entity of the non-point coordinator station to delete an entry corresponding to the virtual up-stream in a frame scheduling table of the frame scheduling entity of the non-point coordinator station.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein before the detecting the first message at the designated subnet bandwidth manager, the method comprises:

receiving the first message for the up-stream communication session at the designated subnet bandwidth manager, the first message being sent from a subnet bandwidth manager of the source non-point coordinator station in the basic service set;

propagating the first message for the up-stream communication session from the designated subnet bandwidth manager to a resource reservation protocol agent of each destination station located outside the basic service set;

receiving the first message for the up-stream communication session at the designated subnet bandwidth manager, the first message being sent from an agent of a destination station located outside the basic service set and propagated to the designated subnet bandwidth manager;

wherein after the determining at the designated subnet bandwidth manager whether to admit the up-stream communication session to the network, the method further comprises sending the first message for the up-stream communication session from the designated subnet bandwidth manager to the subnet bandwidth manager of the source non-point coordinator station in the basic service set that is intended for resource reservation confirmation only.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network is a wireless local area network.

11. A system in a basic service set in a wireless network, the system comprising:

a point coordinator station;

a designated subnet bandwidth manager executed by the point coordinator station to perform operations, the operations comprising;

detecting a first message of a protocol, the first message originating from an agent of a host outside the basic service set, the first message requesting to set up an up-stream session between a source non-point coordinator station in the basic service set and the point coordinator station,

extracting a quality of service parameter set and a classifier from the first message, and

determining whether to admit the up-stream session to the wireless network based on the quality of service parameter set defining the up-stream session and a channel status report on a medium access control sublayer of the basic service set, wherein the designated subnet bandwidth manager is deployed within the point coordinator station; and

a quality of service management entity executed by the point coordinator station to perform operations, the operations comprising;

setting up a virtual up-stream between the source non-point coordinator station and the point coordinator station for transporting up-stream session traffic, responsive to an admitted up-stream session.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations of the quality of service management entity further comprise:

assigning a virtual stream identifier to the virtual up-stream, and

instructing a frame scheduling entity to create an entry corresponding to the virtual up-stream in a frame scheduling table of the frame scheduling entity, the frame scheduling entity being logically located in the media access control sublayer of the point coordinator station, the entry in the frame scheduling table including the virtual stream identifier and the quality of service parameter set associated with the up-stream session.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations of the quality of service management entity further comprise:

sending a management frame from the point coordinator station to the source non-point coordinator station, the management frame including information relating to a setup of the virtual up-stream defined by the virtual stream identifier, the classifier, and the quality of service parameter set.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the source non-point coordinator station includes a local quality of service management entity, a local frame classification entity that is logically located in a logical link control sublayer of the source non-point coordinator station and a local frame scheduling entity that is logically located in the media access control sublayer of the source non-point coordinator station, the source non-point coordinator station for receiving the management frame and passing the information contained in the management frame to the local quality of service management entity, and

wherein the local quality of service management entity is for instructing the local frame classification entity to create an entry corresponding to the virtual up-stream in a frame classification table of the local frame classification entity, the entry in the frame classification table including the virtual stream identifier and the classifier associated with the up-stream session, and

wherein the local quality of service management entity is for instructing the local frame scheduling entity to create an entry corresponding to the virtual up-stream in a frame scheduling table of the local frame scheduling entity, the entry in the frame scheduling table of the local frame scheduling entity including the virtual stream identifier and the quality of service parameter set associated with the up-stream session.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations of the designated subnet bandwidth manager further comprise:

detecting a second message, the second message originating outside the designated subnet bandwidth manager and requesting that the up-stream session be terminated, and

extracting the classifier from the second message for the up-stream session,

wherein the operations of the quality of service management entity further comprise;

finding the virtual stream identifier that is associated with the classifier that is extracted,

instructing the frame scheduling entity to delete the entry corresponding to the virtual up-stream in the frame scheduling table, and

sending a management frame from the point coordinator station to the non-point coordinator station sourcing the virtual up-stream defined by the virtual stream identifier, the management frame including information relating to a teardown of the virtual up-stream.

16. The system of claim 15,

wherein the non-point coordinator station sourcing the virtual up-stream includes a local quality of service management entity, a local frame classification entity that is logically located in a logical link control sublayer of the source non-point coordinator station and a local frame scheduling entity that is logically located in a media access control sublayer of the source non-point coordinator station, the non-point coordinator station for sourcing the virtual up-stream receiving the management frame and for passing the information contained in the management frame to the local quality of service management entity, and

wherein the local quality of service management entity is for instructing the local frame classification entity to delete an entry corresponding to the virtual up-stream in a frame classification table of the local frame classification entity, and for instructing the local frame scheduling entity to delete an entry corresponding to the virtual up-stream in a local frame scheduling table.

17. The system of claim 15,

wherein the operations of the designated subnet bandwidth manager further comprise:

detecting a timeout event, the timeout event being triggered by a predetermined length elapsing and not receiving one of the first message and the second message for the up-stream session, and

extracting the classifier from one of the first message and the second message previously received for the up-stream session, and

wherein the operations of the quality of service management entity further comprise;

finding the virtual stream identifier that is associated with the classifier that is extracted,

instructing the frame scheduling entity to delete the entry corresponding to the virtual up-stream in the frame scheduling table, and

sending a management frame from the point coordinator station to the non-point coordinator station sourcing the virtual up-stream defined by the virtual stream identifier, the management frame including information relating to a teardown of the virtual up-stream.

18. The system of claim 17,

wherein the non-point coordinator station sourcing the virtual up-stream is for receiving the management frame and for passing the information contained in the management frame to a local quality of service management entity, and

wherein the local quality of service management entity is for instructing a local frame classification entity to delete an entry corresponding to the virtual up-stream in a frame classification table, and for instructing a local frame scheduling entity to delete an entry corresponding to the virtual up-stream in a local frame scheduling table.

19. The system of claim 11,

wherein the operations of the designated subnet bandwidth manager further comprise:

receiving the first message for the up-stream session before the designated subnet bandwidth manager detects the first message, where the first message is sent from a subnet bandwidth manager of the source non-point coordinator station in the basic service set,

propagating the first message for the up-stream session to an agent of each destination station located outside the basic service set,

receiving the first message for the up-stream session, where the first message is sent from an agent of a destination station located outside the basic service set and propagated to the designated subnet bandwidth manager, and

sending the first message for the session to the subnet bandwidth manager of the source non-point coordinator station in the basic service set after the designated subnet bandwidth manager determines whether to admit the up-stream session to the wireless network, the first message including information related to a resource reservation confirmation.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless network is a wireless local area network.